Jericho
by CrazyLittleKookoo
Summary: Jericho may be slightly different to some New Species, but Tia Woodward is very different to your average human woman. Chance brings them together, and danger brings them closer still. Yet when the dangers come from everywhere how will they survive? Friends old and new, enemies old and new...Tia's world has been turned upside down. The only person she can cling to is Jericho.


Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters other than the ones who I have created for the basis of being used with Laurann Dohners characters. I own nothing, I am simply adding my own version to the brilliant New Species series. If you have not read it, I highly suggest you go do. This is the DISCLAIMER for the entire story.

**JERICHO**

**PROLOGUE**

Jericho shook his head at Slash. "I see no reason why I need to come with you?"

"Because it's easier with two of us there just in case she turns out to be a psycho who wants to kill us. Besides with your unique eyes all you have to do is glare and do that strange growl of yours and she'll stop dead in her tracks."

Jericho's eyes narrowed as he folded his arms, he knew his eyes were unusual to other Species and most avoided looking at him for that reason. Some had even said they were freaky with their red glow to them.

"If she is suspected of being one of those humans who wish us harm then why are we allowing her onto Reservation? Keep her out and you don't need me or my eyes."

"Awww chill Jericho, I was only teasing you. She's not a psycho, it was a joke. We checked her out and did a full background check, she's one of the park reserve rangers around her, she has some young wild animals that need rehoming and Risk said he might have a place for them with some of the wolves. He's running late though so I need someone else with me. Besides didn't you say you needed to interact with others more?" Slash pointed out rather overly cheerfully.

Jericho sighed. "Fine, but I don't like being around humans, I frighten them too easily."

Slash chuckled. "Try smiling more."

Jericho shook his head, he couldn't wait for this to be over with, the human could just come and leave and that would be it. How much trouble could one human female be anyway?

**CHAPTER 1**

Tia fidgeted standing by the van she had driven up to the compound. She was nervous and it showed in her shaking hands. Why this would work without a hitch, I had no idea. She thought. She took a deep breath and reminded herself why she was doing what she was.

"Nothing deserves to be caged, everything deserves to live free of fear." She recited to herself, something her best friend Terra had taught to her a long time ago. She smiled, confident this was the right thing.

Footsteps coming from the side of the building had her turning rather suddenly, she exhaled slowly, shocked at the man that approached. It was true, the New Species looked completely different to the rest of the world. As though they hadn't endured enough there were bigots and idiots in this world who thought they deserved to be put down like a lame horse. It made her blood boil.

The man wore the uniform she had seen the same men at the gates to Reservation wear, simple black fatigues, and a military vest over a black tshirt with the letters NSO printed in white in the top corner. Her wide gaze trailed up to his face, this was the first time she'd had a proper close look at one of their faces, all she had seen were glimpses from afar, or quick flashes as they had processed her at the gates. Not even the ones on the television had shown just how much of a difference they were to the normal human me. The cheekbones were more defined, the nose slightly flatter, the eyes more predatory as though they were hunting. And the size of them! Tia shook her head, unbelievable they're like giants compared to me, I felt short enough at 5"1'. She silently grossed to herself.

"You are Miss Woodward?" His voice seemed to deep to be normal too, almost like he partially growled his words.

Tia nodded and offered her ID badge to the New Species. "Yes my name is Tia Woodward, I was the one who called up. It's nice to meet you."

The New Species glanced at the badge before handing it back with a smile. His brown hair brushed up off his face with a motion of his hand.

"Hello, my name is Slash. You said you had five was it?"

She smiled a huge grin. "Yes five, I found them when I was patrolling the reserve and found evidence of hunters tracking, I know you normally take in full grown ones, but….. all the other welfares are too overloaded and you were the nearest here. I thought maybe you could get one of the packs to adopt them possibly. I just, they deserve a fighting chance and I refuse to give up on them."

She paused realising she was speaking rather passionately, it was just so hard sometimes, when she felt a fire in her heart for something she couldn't tamp down her reactions.

Slash smiled at her. "We will see what we can do miss. Jericho, can you call for Risk to come down here, he's worked with the animals we've taken in so his opinion on this would be best. Miss would you mind opening the van so we can see please?"

Even as she walked to the back of the van her gaze trailed to the other New Species she had failed to notice, Jericho was his name. He had been stood so still that now she only realised he was there because Slash had mentioned his name and he moved to pull out a cell phone to talk to Risk supposedly. She found it odd though that Jericho stood the furthest away, his head constantly ducked so he didn't make any eye contact with her. Maybe he didn't like humans. She knew and understood a lot of them didn't like humans after they had been held captive by Mercile Industries. Mercile had been run by humans who had created, then abused, experimented and killed New Species. Yes, it was understandable why some may still hold a grudge.

She offered a smile at Jericho regardless as she unlatched the back doors to the van she had driven up to Reservation, the walled off complex that was one of the homes to the New Species. People spouted nonsense that they were freaks and the devils advocate, yet how could they be so evil when they offered sanctuary to animals that had nowhere else to go? She knew they had a large plot of land that had a deep forest, they housed packs of wolves and lions and bears that were rescued from stupid rich men who thought they could own a predator. If anyone understood how to handle and rehome abused and confused animals, it was the New Species.

Tia she grinned as she gripped the side of the van door and pulled herself into the back, she crawled till she was kneeling by the large cage she had secured to the van floor. The slight whines of the wolf puppies drawing her attention. She started working on unbuckling the latches.

"Don't worry little guys, I told you I'd find you somewhere safe to go and this might just be it."

As she worked one of her hands threaded fingers through the cage to hold it steady, the puppies brushed against her and licked her fingers. A few days with her and they had already started forming a bond with her, animals or no, they knew she was the one helping.

"Here, allow me to help." Slash said as he reached down and picked up the cage once she had undone the last buckle. Gently he placed it on the ground outside the van and bent to peer at the squirming puppies. "They seem pretty young."

She nodded hopping out of the back of the van. "They are, by my guess they're around five weeks old, in great condition and health though. I was patrolling like I said, but once I found where the hunters had been they'd already killed the pack, they missed the pups, I found them scattered around. I've had them for about four days while I've been looking for a home for them. But the animal sanctuaries are full, there's no nursing mothers who could adopt them and so young they need a lot of care."

Slash glanced at her. "You've been caring for them yourself?"

She shrugged. "Yeah it's been hard, but I know what I'm doing. I have a wolf-dog who was given to me by a friend when she was young, I raised her and she's been watching the pups while I've been at work for a few hours. But they've still chewed up most of my home, and my dog cant nurse them, she's pretty tame for the most part and these need to be pure wild."

"They do look in good health and seem to be excited." Another voice said.

Tia spun and gasped, another New Species had snuck up on her, maybe they had been created with a stealth gene that made them make no noise when they move. The species smiled at her.

"Hello, my name is Risk. We spoke on the phone. You are in luck, one of the wolf packs we have recently had pups, I'm certain they would adopt these into their pack."

Tia bit her lip hesitating. "You're sure they wont simply kill them?"

Risk shook his head, making deep brown hair fall over his shoulders, his green eyes shining at her. "No, I will introduce them slowly, I have an affinity with the wolves, I'll take care of them."

She sighed in relief. "Thank you so much, it's good to hear that. If it's not too much trouble, can you keep me posted on their progress? I'd like to know how they're doing till they're fully settled in with the pack."

Risk nodded. "Of course, Slash and I will take the pups to start settling them, Jericho will escort you to the office to finish the forms on the handing over of these wolf pups. If you leave your address or email, I'll make sure your updated till they are fully integrated."

Tia nodded enthusiastically, grinning madly. "Thank you so much I appreciate it."

Slash easily lifted the cage full of puppies without any effort, Risk opened the door of the building she had parked next to and they disappeared inside. Now she was alone, with the Species who may or may not like humans. Oh…she had forgot that.

Still, she turned to Jericho with a huge smile. "Jericho wasn't it, hi there, my names Tia Woodward, call me Tia please." She said offering her hand to be shaken, a habit out of her nervousness, bringing back the polite proper manners she had been raised with.

She felt Jericho's gaze boring into her offered hand, his head still down unable to see his eyes. She chewed her lip debating pulling her hand back or leaving it out in the open, maybe Species didn't shake, maybe he didn't want to touch her because she was human. What should she do?

Slowly, almost as though not to scare he stepped forward and delicately took her hand and shook it, his gaze rising to hers. "Hello Tia, my name is Jericho as you know. Is this right? I am trying to learn your human customs."

Her eyes widened slightly as they made eye contact. "Yes that's right, we shake hands and introduce ourselves by name as a greeting. My god, your eyes are beautiful." She blurted, then as a reaction pulled her hand free and slapped it over her mouth. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to blurt that out loud, its just they're an unusual colour, they're fascinating, a brown but with a tint of red, like an autumn leave caught in the sunlight. I don't mean to offend you, oh and I know I'm talking to much again. I'm so sorry Mr. Jericho."

She waited for his disgust at her verbal outburst, but instead his lips twitched slightly. Fully out of the shadows and standing closer she could see him properly, though his eyes were impressive so was the rest of him, he was actually nearly bigger than Risk and Slash had been, definitely more muscular, and his features weren't as defined, subtler cheekbones and rounder eyes but still a flatter than most nose. Maybe he was a different kind of New Species.

"It's okay, I'm glad you aren't scared, most don't like looking at my eyes. If you are scared at any time know there is no reason to fear me. And just Jericho will do please."

She started to slowly relax. "Thank you, shall we go sign those papers or do I need to move my van from here?"

Jericho held out his hand. "Hand me the keys and I will have your van moved to the front gates for you, after you have signed the papers I will escort you to it."

Without hesitation she handed over the keys. She had complete faith and trust in the New Species.

As they walked to one of the more lit up pathways she glanced around. She knew this had once been a hotel before the property and land around it had been bought by the NSO, it had been renovated for them and it looked amazing. The pathways were neatly laid, the greenery trimmed and the buildings looked pristine. Though she did wonder where everyone was, there was no one else as they walked under the lights that lit the darkness. Were they all in bed? Did they stay in doors? Was she really all alone with Jericho?

She glanced at the tall Species next to her, he was very handsome, the differences to human men were appealing to her. She had heard the stories of how some human women had fallen in love and mated? Married? Some Species men. She could never understand how those things came about though, even if she was a sucker for romance she was happy they were fitting into the world. Forging a life for themselves.

"So you are one of the rangers then?"

She glanced at Jericho not expecting the question. "Yes, I'm one of the reserve rangers, it's the only job I've ever wanted. When I was little me and my friends Kaya and Piper would always camp in the woods and bring home sick animals to nurse to health. It just seemed to be the natural job I'd go for."

Jericho's features tightened slightly as he listened to her answer. "I heard that a job as a ranger can be dangerous, not all poachers or hunters are friendly. They can be dangerous and you are small for a female."

He didn't say the words nastily but it still made her blood boil, she knew she was smaller than most, but it didn't mean she was helpless. "I know, I've come across poachers who decided to shoot at me instead of the wolves because they didn't want to get arrested, but I always call for back up and I know how to protect myself. Kaya works in the military and she took it upon herself to teach us self defence and how to shoot. Sometimes you can get hurt but that's part of the job. I wont stop doing what I love or what is right because I'm small, a female or because there's a bit of risk."

Whilst she had been talking they had stopped walking and she had actually taken a step closer to him, her hands firmly planted on her hips as she stared up at him.

His nose flared slightly and she saw his throat work. Suddenly that annoyance she had been feeling shifted at what shouldn't have been a sexy gesture, but arousal slowly started to curl through her. Hell she was only a woman after all and he was one big hunk of hot on legs.

"I have angered you, I didn't mean for that. We protect our females from harm or danger, I find odd that your males would allow a delicate female like you to do such a task when they should do it themselves."

She dropped her hands off her hips. "Sometimes I'd agree, I do need a bit of help and it would be great if more men became rangers and helped to patrol the reserves, but I guess they don't all have your sense of chivalry."

He frowned slightly after another obvious deep inhale and took a step back away from her. He rubbed his nose and took a few deep breaths from his mouth.

Rather unsubtly she lifted her shirt collar and sniffed, twisting her head from side to side. "I'm sorry do I smell? I was at work today and didn't get a chance to grab a shower before I brought the wolf puppies here, I know you have a strong sense of smell, do I smell really bad?"

Jericho shook his head. "No, you actually smell quite nice, its not good for Species to be very close to humans when you smell of nice things, it can be…..distracting."

She slowly absorbed that information, well I guess if I could smell peoples BO from a bit of a distance I'd find it rather distracting too. She thought to herself.

"Oh okay then, lets carry on then, the night getting on and I have work in the morning." She said following as this time he walked in front of her, leading the way to the office building.

She wasn't going to complain, not when with every step his fatigues moulded to a very fine behind. A feminine shiver ran over her and she felt an awareness tingle over her body. If he could smell her body odour could he smell the lust starting to curl through her stomach? Nah, course not, any man would have pointed it out straightaway in the hopes of getting lucky. Besides, she'd had enough trouble with men in her life, she didn't need anymore, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy the view.


End file.
